title: Dopamine-induced changes in renal blood flow in normals and in patients with renal dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite their controversial effect, "renal" doses of dopamine (3-5 microg kg(-1) min(-1)) are often used in intensive care units to preserve renal function and to improve final outcome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of different doses of dopamine on renal blood flow in patients with normal renal function and in patients with renal dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 17 patients with normal renal function and in 12 patients with moderate renal dysfunction, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and average peak renal flow velocities (FlowWire APV) were continuously recorded at baseline and during IV administration of increasing dopamine doses (3, 5, 10, 20, and 30 microg kg(-1) min(-1)). MAP and HR did not change during infusion of 3-5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) but increased to the same extent in both groups during infusion of >10 microg kg(-1) min(-1). Baseline APV was similar in both groups. Infusion of 3-5 mug . kg(-1) . min(-1) induced a significant change in APV only in patients with normal renal function. In patients with renal dysfunction, APV increased only during infusion of >10 microg kg(-1) min(-1) in parallel with MAP and HR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  "Renal" doses of dopamine increase renal blood flow in normals but not in patients with moderate renal dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Center, OLV Ziekenhuis, Aalst, Belgium.
authors.forename: Benny
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drieghe
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manoharan
authors.forename: Guy R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Heyndrickx
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madaric
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bartunek
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarno
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vanderheyden
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Bruyne
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine